Real Madrid are preparing to navigate the rest of their season with Kepa Arrizabalaga and Andriy Lunin after the latest injury setback suffered by Thibaut Courtois.
The Belgian goalkeeper, 31, has not played for the club this season. He injured his anterior cruciate ligament in pre-season and was billed to return in March after the international break. However, images and videos have come out of Madrid’s training ground showing the former Chelsea goalkeeper in tears.
Courtois, who is in recovery training, picked up another injury to his knee on Tuesday afternoon. Real Madrid revealed in a statement that Courtois tore the internal meniscus of his right knee and that further tests and studies will determine his return date.
The former Atlético de Madrid goalkeeper had been making significant progress in his return from the ACL injury. He was already doing light training with his teammates alongside recovery training, only for this setback to happen.
Reporters have claimed that some sources close to the club have stated that the Belgian will not keep goal for Madrid in 2023/24. Internal meniscus injuries take four to eight weeks to heal without surgery in younger people. In people over thirty, it takes longer. Surgery is being considered for Courtois, which means he could recover in six to eight weeks, by which time the season would be wrapping up.
Madrid are concerned over the situation and will release more information as it is made available from their medical team.
Real Madrid’s final LaLiga game is on 26 May 2024 while the UEFA Champions League final is scheduled to be played on June 1. Courtois recovery after surgery will be around this period.
It remains to be seen whether Los Blancos will consider speeding up his recovery for the final stretch of the season or allow him rest and recover in preparation for the next season.
Meanwhile, the club do not understand why David Alaba’s injury recovery is going slowly.
Like Courtois and Eder Militão, Alaba ruptured his ACL. The former players both recovered from their injuries but Alaba’s recovery had not progressed enough. Alaba has now travelled to Austria to get a fresh assessment of his injury following the struggles he is facing with his recovery in Madrid.
His season is believed to be over, however. He is also effectively ruled out of the 2024 UEFA European Championships. The race is to have him fit for the start of pre-season.
